Oil prices nose-dive

Share prices continue to fall

As oil prices fell over night, shares continued to fall when the market opened on Tuesday. By 3 pm share prices had fallen by 9 percent on the days trading. Prices later rose to make a partial recovery.

Large sums were wiped off the value of Norwegian stocks on Monday. PHOTO: CORNELIUS POPPE / ILLUSTRATION

Monday’s fall continued on Tuesday, as the international crisis in the financial markets rolls on.

The market closed 6 percent down. Trading on Wall Street was less dramatic than in previous days. This helped prices on the Oslo Stock Exchange to recover some of the day’s initial losses.

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API/Source.aftenposteneng

Karua to take over after President Kibaki – If this is so, then she will be the second female president in the continent of Africa

Karua launches campaign website

Published on 11/09/2008

By Isaac Ongiri

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Martha Karua last night launched her Presidential campaign website, www.marthakarua.co.ke.

Karua told Kenyans not to take seriously, opponents who had dismissed her interest in the race, saying she will pull a surprise never seen in the history of Kenya.

“After 20 years in politics, I know exactly how to play it,” Karua told her supporters at the Panafric Hotel.

The minister said she would not let her gender to be used against her.

Assistant ministers Danson Mungatana and Asman Kamama, and Lamu West MP Fahim Twaha said they would support the minister’s bid in 2012.

Kenyans can now interact with the minister’s funs by browsing the website, www.marthakarua.co.ke.

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Published by Chief Editor Korir, African Press International – API /Source.standard.ke

The government gives Kibaki, Kalonzo and Raila junior donation of a bag of maize and another of beans to survive on in their home village

Kibaki, Kalonzo, Raila are born

 

By Paul MutuaA bundle of joy is often all the reason a family needs to celebrate. However, three call for something more elaborate.

The three top Government principals may not have been to Ukambani together, but their names are being mentioned in the home of a peasant farmer, who has named his triplet babies after them.

The homestead of Mr Simon Munyasya Kivelenge, 41, in Kyuso District has attracted visitors since July when the triplets were born and he named them after President Kibaki, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Mr Kalonzo visited the home last week and held the children named after him and his 2007 presidential campaign rivals.

Kalonzo was said to have offered the family financial and material assistance promising to give more.

This was a relief for Munyasia, who had sent out a plea for assistance saying his poor family was constrained by the arrival of the threesome.

More babies

Munyasya admitted that although his wife Ms Beatrice Muthakye, 34, safely delivered the three boys, he was not prepared for their arrival.

“I expected my wife to bring forth one child as she had done in seven previous births,” he added when Musyoka visited him.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka (centre) with triplets named Kibaki, Kalonzo and Raila and their parents Mr and Mrs Munyasya Kivelenge last Tuesday at Ngomeni trading centre, Kyuso District. The triplets were born on July 19. PHOTO: VPPS

“I was shocked and surprised when my wife gave birth to three babies!”

The couple has six other children, the seventh having been a stillborn.

The VP was amused as he in turns held little Kalonzo, Raila and Kibaki.

Kalonzo said: “This is God’s blessing and I am honoured to be here to help them take care of these little ones.”

Munyasia said he was inspired by the courage of the three leaders to overcome their differences and form the Grand Coalition Government.

“I decided to honour the three by naming the boys after them,” he said.

Added the grateful father: “Obviously handling triplets will not be easy considering I am a peasant who ekes a living from menial work”, said the father who hails from Masamba village, Kavaani sub-location in Ngomeni Division.

He visited his parents in Mukuni, Mwingi Central Division soon after the three were born to consult them on the way forward.

The world appeared to have turned upside down for Munyasya on the Saturday of July 19 when his wife went into labour and at 6pm delivered a boy with the help of a traditional birth attendant at their home.

However, they became frantic when his wife’s condition gave the telltale signs of more babies but none was forth coming, he told Kalonzo’s entourage.

Munyasya organised for his wife’s admission to Ngomeni Heath Centre, 13kms away.

He said the seven-hour journey to the medical facility ended at 6am the following day where the medical officer in-charge delivered the two remaining babies.

The family was advised to take the babies to Mwingi District Referral Hospital for check-up where they (triplets) were declared fit.

He named them Samuel Kalonzo, Saulo Kibaki and Seth Raila.

Kalonzo weighed 2.5kg, Kibaki 2.4kg and Raila 2.3kg.

On the way home from hospital, a Good Samaritan Mr Musyimi Nzengu, mobilised an impromptu funds raiser for their clothing and transport home. Kalonzo found the little ones living in difficult conditions, lying on a makeshift bed of sticks without the comfort of a mattress in the semi-permanent mud-walled house.

Their mother sat at the edge of the same bed keeping watch over the sleeping bundles.

The family shares a bed with three other sisters Mwikali, aged seven, Matondo, five and Mwinza 11.

government donation

Muthakye said two of her sons Muimi, 16 and Mutemi, 14 sleep in a grass-thatched hut that also doubles up as the kitchen.

They own a donkey that is used to fetch water.

Ngomeni DO Rebecca Wakape, had been to the homestead before Kalonzo to deliver a Government donation of a bag of maize and another of beans.

The DO promised to ensure the family was given adequate relief food until the current food situation improves.

The director of a local NGO Kalunda Syengo also pledged powdered milk for the triplets as her organisation looks for more assistance to the family.

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API/Source.standard.ke

Norway: Edvardsen dies at 69 – The preacherman that changed religion

Big turnout for preacher’s funeral

The preacher and missionary, Aril Edvardsen died earlier this month. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people took part at his funeral on Monday.

Nearly 2,000 mourners took part at Aril Edvardsen’s funeral. PHOTO: TORE-ANDRE BAARDSEN / FÆDRELANDSVENNEN

Among those who attended the two-hour long ceremony was local bishop Olav Skjevesland, who called Edvardsen a robust evangelist, who was able to bridge religious divides.

His son, Rune Edvardsen will take over the ministry. This was symbolized when he was given his father’s well worn Bible towards the end of the service.

In addition to his family, local Mayor Odd Omland and Fisheries Minister Helga Pedersen led the mourners to the grave side.

Edvardsen started a world wide evangelization program. His organization Troens Bevis (literally the Proof of Faith) supports 1,000 local missionaries, according to Norwegian Broadcasting NRK.

The organization includes a multi-media section which broadcasts television which can be viewed in 200 countries.

Aril Edvardsen favoured reconciliation between Christians and Muslims.

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API/Source.aftenposteneng

PRESS STATEMENT: ZIMBABWE’s MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

Posted by  Celine de Canha

 

1st Floor, Twin Towers East, Sandton City, Sandton, South Africa

PO Box 3738, Cramerview, 2060

 

 

Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) welcomes the signing of the historic political deal in Zimbabwe this morning in Harare, Zimbabwe. BUSA congratulates the leadership and commitment of the three principal players in the deal, namely President Robert Mugabe of ZANU PF and the leaders of the two MDC formations, Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara respectively.

 

 

BUSA furthermore welcomes the formation of an inclusive government, representing all the major political parties in Zimbabwe. As the voice of business in South Africa, with members holding business interests in Zimbabwe, BUSA stands ready to work and support all Zimbabwean parties in the restoration of economic stability and growth. BUSA will especially work with organized business in Zimbabwe to ensure that maximum support is given to the economic rehabilitation objectives that have been agreed to.

 

BUSA believes that the signing of the political agreement lays the basis for the re-emergence of the Zimbabwean nation. The road to rebuilding the economy will be a long and difficult one but it is a beginning, and BUSA urges all the parties to redouble their efforts to ensure that the Spirit of the Agreement is respected and its principal objectives realised. BUSA urges the business community in Zimbabwe, South Africa and beyond to do whatever it can to ensure that Zimbabwe succeeds, especially at the economic level.

 

Lastly, BUSA wishes to congratulate the SADC Mediator, President Mbeki, and the team that supported him, for the successful facilitation of this important political agreement.

 

The End

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Published by African Press International – api

Olympics 2018 may be not be given to the Norwegians because their politicians do not seem to know what they want

Tromsø 2018 struggles for support

More than half of all Norwegians are against having Olympic Winter Games in Tromsø in 2018.

IOC-member Gerhard Heiberg says Tromsø has to win more public support if it wants to arrange the Winter Olympics. PHOTO: JON EEG / SCANPIX

In a recent poll, 51 percent answered that they were against giving state guarantees of between NOK 15 and 20 billion (USD 4 – 5 billion) to bring the Winter Olympics to the Arctic town.

The poll indicates that opposition to the games remains firm despite recent attempts to spruce up the Tromsø campaign by hiring a new boss and getting a former ski star on the board of directors.

Only 38 percent of those asked are in favour, with 11 percent being undecided. Support varies from one part of Norway to another. The local population in Northern Norway was most in favour of the Games, while people in Eastern Norway were least enthusiastic.

Gerhard Heiberg, a Norwegian on the Olympic Organizing Committee (IOC) says that this is bad news for Tromsø’s hopes of arranging the Olympics.

“It’s important for the IOC to see that there is real public support in the country which applies to have the Olympics,” says Heiberg to Norwegian Broadcasting NRK. He thinks Tromsø has to work harder to change public opinion.

Petter Rønningen, the newly appointed campaign boss, blames the way the poll was conducted. “NRK only asked about the costs, forgetting about the benefits. More neutral polls show that a majority of the population want the Olympic Games in Norway in 2018,” says Rønningen to NRK.

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API/Source.aftenposteneng

The old who never understand time to leave politics to the younger generation: His love for politicking keeps him alive in Norwegian politics

Labour veteran wants Swedish fighter

If the Centre-Left coalition buys the Joint Strike Fighter it will lose the general election next year, says 102-year old Labour grandee, Haakon Lie.

Labour Party right winger and long-time party secretary, Haakon Lie wants the Government to buy Swedish fighter planes. PHOTO: DAN PETTER NEEGAARD

He is getting involved in one of the most difficult issues which the Government has to solve during the next few months; The authorities have to decide n which plane to spend NOK 100 billion (USD 16 billion) on; the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) or the JAS Gripen.

Lie writes this in his new book, which is published to coincide with his 103rd birthday later this month.

The former Party Secretary resolutely defends JAS Gripen’s advantages over the JSF.

“The JSF’s primary function is to destroy targets on the ground, but we aren’t buying a plane to bomb enemy targets. For the foreseeable future the new generation of planes will be needed to maintain sovereign control over our long coastline,” says Lie.

He adds that he has heard rumours that the American plane will cost twice as much as the Swedish alternative. He also thinks that buying the Swedish plane would be good for Nordic cooperation.

“When we buy a replacement for our worn out fighters, we have to choose the Swedish plane,” he says.

The latest edition of Jane’s Defence Weekly criticises the JSF’s characteristics, claiming that it is underpowered, useless in a ground support role and that its stealth properties are overrated.

Lie’s view has surprised many politicians and commentators. He belongs to the staunchly pro-NATO wing of the Labour Party, whereas many of those who want the Swedish plane are sceptical to both the USA and NATO.

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API/Source.aftenposteneng

A Norwegian man who loves to burn houses being held by police

Arson suspected in Bergen

Police in Bergen have arrested a man suspected of starting several fires this weekend.

Police are investigating whether arson is behind the recent fires in the city. PHOTO: TOR ERIK H.MATHIESEN / SCANPIX

The man has been charged with setting fire to a wooden shed. “We link this case to four other fires in the same neighbourhood on Sunday,” says police spokesman Asbjørn Andersen to news bureau NTB.

Police and fire fighters were looking for an arsonist, after four minor fires had occurred in the course of a few hours. Investigators were working at the scene of one fire, when a fire started next door.

“The man was seen nearby shortly afterwards and as a result of observation made at the scene, he was arrested,” says Andersen.

Police are now confident that the fires were started. All the fires occurred on Sunday in the afternoon and evening, and started in basements. All were quickly extinguished. There were no injuries.

The suspect will be interviewed on Monday. Police are still not linking this incident to the other fires which have taken place in Bergen the last week.

A fire on Friday destroyed another old wooden storehouse which was listed for conservation.

Last week four other classic wooden buildings by the old docks burned. Rumours of arson have yet to be confirmed as Police have not yet been able to carry out technical investigations at the scene. Interviews with witnesses are still going on.

Bergen’s buildings are mostly built of wood. The wooden ‘sjøbod’ storehouses on the waterfront, give the city its unique character and illustrate Bergen’s heritage as a major trading centre with roots going back several hundred years.

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API/Source.aftenposteneng